New store gears for mid-summer opening in Niceville

Construction crews are still putting up the shell of the 7,200 square foot building that will house a new O’Reilly Auto Parts store in Niceville. The store is expected to open later this summer.

DUSTY RICKETTS / Daily News

By DUSTY RICKETTS / Daily News

Published: Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at 05:18 PM.

NICEVILLE — Construction is underway on a new O’Reilly Auto Parts store in Niceville, which should be open later this summer.

O’Reilly is building what will be its first automotive parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories store in Niceville. It will be located on the south side of John Sims Parkway, just east of Partin Drive and next door to the Gold Rush store.

“We plan to open in the neighborhood of 35 or so stores this year in the state of Florida as we continue to expand out of our new distribution center out of Lakeland,” said Mark Merz, spokesman for O’Reilly’s corporate office. “We’re looking at all great markets that we can come in and partner with and help feel the needs of those local communities.”

O’Reilly’s currently has eight stores in Northwest Florida, two in Fort Walton Beach and one each in Destin, Crestview, Navarre, Milton, Gulf Breeze and DeFuniak Springs. The Niceville location is the only new store currently under construction in Okaloosa, Santa Rosa or Walton counties. There are more than 4,100 O’Reilly Auto Parts stores nationwide.

Merz said the company does not announce specific opening dates too far in advance because construction schedules can always change. However, they are targeting a mid- to late-summer opening right now.

The new store, which will be 7,200 square feet, is expected to employ about eight full- and part-time employees when it initially opens, Merz said.

Once the store is closer to opening, people will be able to apply online at www.oreillyauto.com or they will be able to go inside and apply at the store when it gets really close to opening.

Merz said the new store will likely have an unannounced soft opening this summer, followed by an official grand opening event with specials and advertising about a month later.

Contact Daily News Business Editor Dusty Ricketts at 850-315-4448 or dricketts@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DustyRnwfdn.

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NICEVILLE — Construction is underway on a new O’Reilly Auto Parts store in Niceville, which should be open later this summer.

O’Reilly is building what will be its first automotive parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories store in Niceville. It will be located on the south side of John Sims Parkway, just east of Partin Drive and next door to the Gold Rush store.

“We plan to open in the neighborhood of 35 or so stores this year in the state of Florida as we continue to expand out of our new distribution center out of Lakeland,” said Mark Merz, spokesman for O’Reilly’s corporate office. “We’re looking at all great markets that we can come in and partner with and help feel the needs of those local communities.”

O’Reilly’s currently has eight stores in Northwest Florida, two in Fort Walton Beach and one each in Destin, Crestview, Navarre, Milton, Gulf Breeze and DeFuniak Springs. The Niceville location is the only new store currently under construction in Okaloosa, Santa Rosa or Walton counties. There are more than 4,100 O’Reilly Auto Parts stores nationwide.

Merz said the company does not announce specific opening dates too far in advance because construction schedules can always change. However, they are targeting a mid- to late-summer opening right now.

The new store, which will be 7,200 square feet, is expected to employ about eight full- and part-time employees when it initially opens, Merz said.

Once the store is closer to opening, people will be able to apply online at www.oreillyauto.com or they will be able to go inside and apply at the store when it gets really close to opening.

Merz said the new store will likely have an unannounced soft opening this summer, followed by an official grand opening event with specials and advertising about a month later.

Contact Daily News Business Editor Dusty Ricketts at 850-315-4448 or dricketts@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DustyRnwfdn.